April 23
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Adalbert of Prague, Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus, Saint George, BlessedGiles of Assisi, Gerard of Toul, Ibar of Beggerin (Meath), Toyohiko Kagawa(EpiscopalandLutheran Church), Saint George's Dayand its related observances:Saint George's Day(Catalonia)Saint George's Day(England), April 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A collective of Christian feast days observed on April 23 by various denominations, commemorating saints such as Adalbert of Prague and Saint George.
Canada Book Day(Canada)
An annual day in Canada celebrating books, reading, and the contributions of authors and publishers to the literary community.
Castile and León Day(Castile and León)
Regional public holiday in Castile and León, Spain, commemorating the 1521 Battle of Villalar and celebrating local identity and traditions.
International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day
An annual online protest begun in 2007 where writers and bloggers embrace free digital publishing to oppose restrictive content policies.
Khongjom Day(Manipur)
Commemorates the Battle of Khongjom on April 23, 1891, where Manipuri forces fought against British colonial troops.
National Sovereignty and Children's Day(TurkeyandNorthern Cyprus)
A national holiday in Turkey and Northern Cyprus celebrating both the founding of modern Turkish sovereignty and the importance of children.
Navy Day (China)
Annual observance in China marking the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy on April 23, 1949.
World Book Day
UNESCO’s annual celebration of books, authors, and reading to promote global literacy and cultural exchange.
UN English Language Day(United Nations)
Annual UN observance celebrating the English language and its contributions to diplomacy, culture, and communication.
Events
A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene.
In 215 BC, Romans built a temple to Venus Erycina on Capitoline Hill to honor divine protection after the defeat at Lake Trasimene.
Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik'nal and sacking the city.
In 599, Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul launched an attack on Palenque, defeating Queen Yohl Ik'nal and plundering the city.
Dagobert III succeeds his father King Childebert III as King of the Franks.
Dagobert III ascended to the Frankish throne in 711, succeeding his father Childebert III.
Battle of Clontarf: High King of Ireland Brian Boru defeats Viking invaders, but is killed in battle.
At the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, High King Brian Boru defeated Viking forces but was slain in combat.
Edmund Ironside succeeds his father Æthelred the Unready as King of England.
Edmund Ironside became King of England in 1016 after the death of Æthelred the Unready.
St. George's Night Uprising commences in the Duchy of Estonia.
The St. George's Night Uprising began in 1343 as Estonian peasants rebelled against foreign rule.
The founding of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III is announced on St. George's Day.
King Edward III announced the founding of England’s Order of the Garter on St. George’s Day 1348.
Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvarez Cabral reaches new coastline (Brazil).
Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral sighted the coast of present-day Brazil in 1500.
The Munich Reinheitsgebot (regarding the ingredients of beer) takes effect in all of Bavaria.
Bavaria’s Reinheitsgebot beer purity law took effect on 23 April 1516.
Births
King of Scotland known as 'the Maiden', ascending the throne at a young age and ruling from 1153 to 1165.
King of Portugal from 1212 to 1223, known for strengthening royal authority and codifying the kingdom’s laws.
John de Vere
English nobleman and military commander, serving as the 12th Earl of Oxford and notable for his roles in the Hundred Years’ War.
George of Poděbrady
King of Bohemia from 1458 to 1471, prominent Hussite leader and advocate for peace among European states.
Joan of France
Duchess of Berry and daughter of King Louis XI of France, noted for her cultural patronage and political influence in the late 15th century.
Robert Fayrfax
Leading English composer of the Renaissance, known for his elaborate choral music and influence on Tudor musical culture.
Julius Caesar Scaliger
Italian scholar and physician, celebrated for his humanist writings and contributions to Renaissance literary criticism.
Alexander Ales
Scottish theologian and Reformer, instrumental in advancing Protestant thought and humanist scholarship in the 16th century.
Johann Stumpf
Swiss chronicler and writer, best known for his detailed topographical and historical work on Switzerland.
Deaths
Saint George
Saint George was a Roman soldier and Christian martyr famed for his legendary triumph over a dragon and enduring symbol of bravery and faith.
Childebert III
Childebert III was a Merovingian king of Neustria and Burgundy who reigned during the early 8th century under the influence of the Carolingian mayors of the palace.
Wihtred of Kent was an early 8th-century king who strengthened his realm's independence and laid down one of the earliest Anglo-Saxon legal codes.
Æthelred of Wessex was king from 866 to 871, remembered for his valiant resistance against Viking invasions.
Yang Shihou
Yang Shihou was a leading general of the Later Liang dynasty during China's Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, noted for his military prowess and regional governance.
Wichmann the Elder
Wichmann the Elder was a 10th-century Saxon nobleman known for his influential role in the power struggles of early medieval Germany.
Ekkehard II
Ekkehard II was a Swiss monk who served as abbot of Saint Gall around the turn of the first millennium, contributing to its spiritual and cultural heritage.
Adalbert of Prague
Adalbert of Prague was a 10th-century bishop and missionary who sought to Christianize Central Europe and was martyred during his efforts.
Brian Boru
Brian Boru was a late 10th to early 11th-century High King of Ireland who famously led Irish forces to victory at the Battle of Clontarf.